If you’re viewing this page on a phone or tablet, please turn to view in landscape mode, thank you. If you can’t see the list of services on the right hand side please use the connecting links or scroll down for these and other events and information.

Updates during this time of pandemic and resources to use at home

• In the spirit of the recent government guidelines and announcements we have decided to close our churches.
  • Rev Lynn says “I feel we cannot maintain public services whilst the public are being asked to stay home due to the rise in both the national and local cases of corona virus, we need to play our part and be in solidarity with the wider community. I do not feel it is right for people from different households and areas to be coming together under one roof. We will continue to provide online worship and pastoral support where required.
    
• Our worship and church life online continues as always, led by Rev Lynn and the Ministry Team using Zoom software. These include morning and evening prayer and are on most days of the week. Click here for details. Please contact Rev Lynn if you would like to join us, there is no requirement to live within our benefice, you would be most welcome!
• We are reviewing our churches remaining open for private prayer. Details to follow.
• Thanks continue to go to David Watters and to all those who generously contributed to our Seasonal Appeal for Help for families in Downderry and Charlotte Evans, who battles against a rare illness. All are truly grateful at a time when so much has changed in their lives.
• Pub theology continues online……click here for details
• Lynn’s letter for January and the monthly newsletter can be found here. Lynn talks about the year past and positivity looking forward, and we learn more about one of our Readers, Sue Irving.
• A new study course starts on Thursday January 7th, online on Zoom. The course is followed by night prayer or compline:

• Have a look at this book of modern prayers – worth a read Come+Pray+with+Me
• A booklet of prayers during the pandemic can be downloaded here: Outbreak Prayer Book Digital Single Pages 2 April_0

Online options

The Truro Diocese all age session at 9.30 on Facebook continue on a Sunday as usual! There is now a rota for these sessions that will still include Bishop Philip and Ruth.

Or you could still listen to one of the many radio options – Radio 4, Radio Cornwall offer services on a Sunday around 8am.

Or you could look at: Church of England website that now has more services to join – or at many churches and cathedrals up and down the country who have other offerings

A very good resource is https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/church-online

Browse a whole range of prayers you can choose from to read – or listen to:

Or using your computer, tablet or phone (as you prefer) and from your web browser access morning and evening prayer using this link:

Click here and choose what you need.

To read or hear the prayer for today, click on this link: http://cofe.io/TodaysPrayer

Browse around the various pages and you’re sure to find something that interests you.

Alternatively download an App for your tablet or phone. Church House Publishing or provide a number of these Apps and these can be downloaded from https://www.chpublishing.co.uk/apps/daily-prayer

Parish Contacts

Parish Priest: Rev. Canon Lynn Parker – main point of contact for all matters

Curate: Rev. Laura Bushell-Hawke

Parish Wardens: Paul Gribble and Bill Woods

Readers/Licensed Lay Ministers: Richard Laugharne, Margaret Sylvester-Thorne, David Watters, Matt Frost

For weddings, baptisms, funerals and church services:  Rev. Canon Lynn Parker, David Watters and Margaret Sylvester-Thorne

Children’s work: Rev. Canon Lynn Parker, Evelyn Reed, David Watters, Margaret Sylvester-Thorne, Rev Laura Bushell-Hawke

Messy Church: Evelyn Reed

For buildings and general parish enquiries: the Parish Wardens:   Paul Gribble and Bill Woods

For Safeguarding:  Rev Laura Bushell-Hawke

Pastoral Visitors Team:  Pat Paxton

Parish Giving Scheme:  Paul Gribble

Finances: the Treasurer, Paul Gribble

Electoral Roll: Rosemary Stevenson

Enquiries about individual churches:

Downderry:  Andrew Pidgen

Hessenford: Fran Moore

St Germans: Richard Laugharne

Tideford: Evelyn Reed

Deanery Synod Reps:  David Watters,  Rosemary Stevenson and Paul Gribble

Cashiers: Peter Daw – St Germans; Tim Pullin – Downderry; Hugh Parker – Tideford and Fiona Bristow – Hessenford.

Additional PCC Members from November 2020

Tim Pullin, Stephen Guffick, Tilly Thompson, Yvonne Byles, Hugh Parker, Susan Booth, Dawn Couling, and Fiona Bristow

Hire and other info on St Germans Priory Church for events:

The St Germans Priory Trust:   www.stgermanspriory.info

Hire of the Church Hall in Hessenford:  http://www.hessenford.net

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Lynn’s thoughts at the beginning of the New Year

We come to the start of a new year, but before we launch ourselves into 2021, let us take a moment to thank God for all that has happened in 2020.

That may be a strange thing to write bearing in mind all that we have been through with the Covid epidemic, but for some it may have been a good year, with lots of new opportunities, good health, and happiness. And we can rejoice in that and remember with thanksgiving that God has seen us through a difficult year.

Not forgetting of course that for others there may have been times of struggle, loss, or ill health.

But even in the dark times, what we have to remember is that God will not stretch us beyond what we can cope with. He is always there to call upon, to strengthen us through times of trials, to support us and give us hope, even in our bleakest hour.

So, we need to look back at the past year with a reflective and positive mind and try and think of some of the good that has come out of adversity. We never know how things that have happened in the past year will affect our future, or come in useful as a new skill learnt, or as a problem tackled that can give us insight into how we might help others.

So whatever 2020 gave us, let us thank God for all that makes up our lives, the good times and the bad, all that gives it character and meaning. And let us reflect on our experiences, that whatever has been, we can use to strengthen us, and to give us courage, to start this New Year with a positive and thankful attitude.

May God bless you, guard over you and guide you, and lead you in the ways of peace through 2021.

Yours in Christ

Canon Lynn

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For this month’s newsletter please click on this link 2021.01_Jan_Benefice_Newsletter

Continuing our series of who’s who within the benefice – this month it is the turn of Sue Irving, one of our Licensed Lay Readers, Sue Irving

I was born at home in a coastguard cottage in Portwrinkle, a breach presentation and awkward from birth according to my mother! The younger of two sisters with the war years between, my sister Pauline has returned to live in Crafthole where she was born.

Our three hundred year paternal family line connection to St Mary’s (Sheviock) can be traced as one walks down the church path, where Henry Davey “Clerk of this parish” and John Davey and their wives are buried. Sadly the more tragic grave of our grandfather who committed suicide remains as a shadow in our hearts; as he was also a church warden, he was granted special permission to be buried inside the walls.

My mother, originally a Baptist was born on the south side of Dartmoor, her mother then died when she was 16. She converted to the Anglican church when an adult. I was educated first at Sheviock school and then at Saltash Grammar.

Having moved to London, planning to train as a nurse, I instead trained in Hotel and Catering, got married at 19 in a misguided attempt to appease my father and was lucky to have two children, Charles and Morwenna. My second marriage brought the joy of a third child Ben and indirectly nine beautiful grandchildren.

My early experience of God was via some good bible stories at school and a frightening, punishing, intimidating God in Church.

In my mid twenties I decided to train to be a social worker, specialising in psychiatry and after the sad failure of my marriage became fascinated in what caused relationships to fail; a question the answer to which I still pursue avidly to this day. Indeed I believe I am still attempting to make reparation for the damage caused by these failures. I am also intrigued by what constitutes a good relationship with God.

I discovered a more loving and forgiving relationship with God via my work in a Christian therapeutic community in Trethill in the 1970’s and this warmth and vision has stayed with me inspiring my further training, initially as a psychotherapist and then a psychoanalyst and Couple psychotherapist.

My faith has been a part of my life, symbolised by the Lifeboat which comes alongside when I am lost and fear that all hope is gone.

The latest ‘crazy idea’ in my life was training to be a Reader, whilst living in London; three years of a weekly 600 mile return journey to Truro, but worth every mile.

The last two years I have had the new adventure of learning to live alone; not something I ever thought I would want and another steep learning curve, but contributing a lot to my understanding, empathy and compassion.

~   News and Events in the Parish   ~

All our public events have been cancelled for the time being but we are meeting online where we can.

Zoom Pub Theology

Now running fortnightly

A chance to discuss ideas and thoughts about all matter of things theological.

After a short introduction of 5 minutes (or more), the conversation is open.

Meet via Zoom from 7.30 – 8.30pm every other Tuesday 

Topics:       TBA….please let Richard have any suggestions

For a Zoom link or enquiries or suggestions, ring Richard Laugharne (01503-230333) or email on richard.laugharne@nhs.net

All welcome! Click here to go back to top.

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Community responds through Church and School to help Downderry families

St Nicolas Church, Downderry

The folk at St Nicolas Church were delighted that so many members of our wider community joined the  initiative to help support needs arising from Covid-19 in our local school. In all we provided food boxes to the school to the value of £1,120. This was made so much easier by our good friends Kim and Richard at Downderry Stores who made up the boxes and added a contribution to each and every box – so yet one more big THANK YOU to them – and to all who contributed so generously.

We still hold a balance and we propose to support the school with around half of that to enable magical and educational books to be purchased to assist children whose educational needs fell behind while the school was closed. The remainder we will hold, earmarked for any second wave of Covid-19 and emerging needs identified by the school community.

The school deserves appreciation from us all for their dedication and commitment during the pandemic – in addition to meeting all the ever-changing requirements placed upon them, they have looked carefully at the needs of each individual child and put strategies in place to ‘close the gap’.

The willing support of so many people in the community was greatly appreciated by the Head of School – Jake Imrie – and his staff, as well as the St Nics community and the wider Parish of St Germans.  Once again our community has seen a need and responded to it.

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Messy Church

meeting in St Germans Methodist Church

Currently cancelled, but work going on in the background

Messy Church is a form of church for children and adults that involves creativity, celebration and hospitality – it’s fun!

If you’d like to help out please speak to Evelyn or ring her on 01503 230449

Find out more at https://www.messychurch.org.uk/what-messy-church-and-isnt

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Events at St Germans Priory Church

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None at present